Yeah, Mason was on a season long loan at Swindon that year.
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Feel I've got in a strange position of defending Sherwood, who I don't like very much (as a person, rather than a manager, I think AVB seemed more decent), based on one almost offhand comment I made! It intrigues me that he stirs up so many strong feelings though. To me he just seemed to do a decent enough job in the circumstances, though you are reminding me more and more of his comments to the media and as I've said it was unprofessional.
It's true my post was not entirely based on facts but same with yours. I don't think he ever had a realistic chance of getting the job and you think it was almost his...fair enough, let's agree to disagree. I think his comments began after the Chelsea game (except maybe the comments that we would get into the top four, which was- I agree- stupid) which is when, IMO, his chances went from slim to zero, and he knew this. Then, I imagine, he felt humiliated by having "failed", but he knew that almost whatever he did he couldn't get sacked until the end of the season, until which time he had a mouthpiece to voice his anger at Levy. I'd say the gilet incident in the Villa game was also a bizarre way of doing this...it did make me laugh though.
Thinking about it, his interviews probably did harm the reputation of the club and therefore maybe, on reflection, I would give him a more neutral appraisal. It would have been better for us, and certainly for him, if he'd kept quiet. He was a bit of a mini-Redknapp in that sense, as it was very much the sort of thing Harry would have done. I think I naturally side with him because of my hatred of Levy, so part of me liked him taking it to Levy.
At the same time, Sherwood got us through to the end of a difficult season, we finished in a decent position amidst the turmoil, he played two youth players which maybe other managers would have ignored- both of which ended well for us-, crucially no one important left the club, and the scene was set for Poch to come in and do the job he did. So on balance, some good, some bad...entirely irrelevant now though, even more than the debate over whether or not Harry should have been sacked.
One word to describe AVb's time with us is "disappointing". I genuinely thought that his Chelsea disaster was a blip, but it didn't work out here either & his "style" of football was undeniably predictable. He was gone as soon as Bale signed for Real in all truth.
Personally, I would have given him more time to work out life without Bale. That shows what I know about football at the highest level & I'm glad we had the trauma then, to get Poch in. Am loving a spell of 20/20 hindsight. Levy clearly got it right- whether that was by design or sheer good fortune, we will never truly know. But fair play to him in relation to Poch. Baldy got it spot on there.
Personally, I would have given him more time to work out life without Bale. That shows what I know about football at the highest level & I'm glad we had the trauma then, to get Poch in. Am loving a spell of 20/20 hindsight. Levy clearly got it right- whether that was by design or sheer good fortune, we will never truly know. But fair play to him in relation to Poch. Baldy got it spot on there.
As been said on this thread, the AVB era was the period where i felt the most detached from Spurs ever. The bland football, the lack of inspiring performances and the way he often lays the blame elsewhere are things that made me stop caring for a moment.
I rarely switch of Spurs games but in his era i did it a couple of times, even when we were leading. Just couldnt stand watching it anymore, and esp without Bale there was nothing left to admire, no old spurs style, no cutting edge, no flair. Especially when you see what Poch does with these players (some of them were already there when AVB was), the way he gets them motivated, the way they are taking responsibility for their perfomances makes me realise that AVB was a poor man manager, a poor PR manager and ran out of ideas when it came to the EPL. He wasnt helped by some board decisions and the sometimes unrealistic expectations from the crowd but when you decide to play result only football, you are going to be judged by these results and his sacking was justified.
Sherwood was a cunt on all levels, a cunt that wanted to be bigger than his players, bigger than the club and had a bigger gob than Harry (remarkable achievement). Said it before, in an interview with the belgian TV they asked JV and Moose about Sherwood and their reactions were priceless. The way they looked at eachother and the dismissive smile they had when they said : no comment, he's gone now.. If the rumours are correct, Dembele even had a major incident (first time ever i heard something related to discipline issues with Dembele) with Sherwood in the dressing room but those are rumours.
I rarely switch of Spurs games but in his era i did it a couple of times, even when we were leading. Just couldnt stand watching it anymore, and esp without Bale there was nothing left to admire, no old spurs style, no cutting edge, no flair. Especially when you see what Poch does with these players (some of them were already there when AVB was), the way he gets them motivated, the way they are taking responsibility for their perfomances makes me realise that AVB was a poor man manager, a poor PR manager and ran out of ideas when it came to the EPL. He wasnt helped by some board decisions and the sometimes unrealistic expectations from the crowd but when you decide to play result only football, you are going to be judged by these results and his sacking was justified.
Sherwood was a cunt on all levels, a cunt that wanted to be bigger than his players, bigger than the club and had a bigger gob than Harry (remarkable achievement). Said it before, in an interview with the belgian TV they asked JV and Moose about Sherwood and their reactions were priceless. The way they looked at eachother and the dismissive smile they had when they said : no comment, he's gone now.. If the rumours are correct, Dembele even had a major incident (first time ever i heard something related to discipline issues with Dembele) with Sherwood in the dressing room but those are rumours.
Truly and utterly depressing era, with a characterless, passion free, turgid manager.
I think the Santini period was more uplifting, and Graham tenure more joyous.
I think the Santini period was more uplifting, and Graham tenure more joyous.
Poch >>>>>>> AVB >>>>>>>>>>> Christian Gross >>>>>>>>>>> Sherwood.
AVB has flaws but he also has (had?) a point when it comes to Levy. AVB lost Modric and Bale without proper replacements (he was partially to blame obviously) - and let's not kid ourselves, he did actually help Bale along a bit. He tossed Rafa and gave Bale the reins completely, and it worked. Very happy it didn't work out though because Poch is better than AVB will ever be, at least for us.
And that's all I have to say on the matter.
AVB has flaws but he also has (had?) a point when it comes to Levy. AVB lost Modric and Bale without proper replacements (he was partially to blame obviously) - and let's not kid ourselves, he did actually help Bale along a bit. He tossed Rafa and gave Bale the reins completely, and it worked. Very happy it didn't work out though because Poch is better than AVB will ever be, at least for us.
And that's all I have to say on the matter.
He may have got too little time, certainly I thought so at the time.
However, his football was boring and we were desperate for some kind of success, therefore he got the backing from many fans about to turn against Levy.
He was at war with some guys in the media and the club would never become a good place for team and fans the way we were going.
In hindsight, good and correct decision.
However, his football was boring and we were desperate for some kind of success, therefore he got the backing from many fans about to turn against Levy.
He was at war with some guys in the media and the club would never become a good place for team and fans the way we were going.
In hindsight, good and correct decision.
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Offcourse they are just rumours. Mousa would have ripped him a new one
Massively envious of his winning smile and huge bank account.
Was looking at his wiki page after seeing the China news, and I noticed something weird. AVB was Mourinho's assistant at Porto, Chelsea, and Inter. With AVB as his assistant, Mourinho won 6 domestic league titles and 2 champions league titles in 8 years. In the 6 years since AVB stopped working for him, he's won 2 titles and no CLs.
Coincidence? Or is it time for Spurs to re-hire AVB.... as an assistant coach? :avbshock:
Coincidence? Or is it time for Spurs to re-hire AVB.... as an assistant coach? :avbshock:
He was the opposition scout for Mourinho. Pretty common knowledge they fell out after AVB left Inter. Mourinho won the CL with Inter after AVB's departure.
Well, he's reunited with Hulk now. Good to see him finding a job which suits his ambitions.
the football under him was extremely dull... the results were weak. would never have worked out
AVB will be making more than Pooch now....says something about the wealth shifting to Asia....
He has decided to take a break from football.
Andre Villas-Boas quits Chinese club Shanghai SIPG and intends to take break from football
Andre Villas-Boas quits Chinese club Shanghai SIPG and intends to take break from football
Hadn't realised he's sworn off England, but good for him - I don't think he'd get a fair shake anymore.
Can't help but wonder if he truly regrets taking Abramovich's money, I really believe those cunts at Chelsea severely damaged his career. I don't think he'd have gotten the Spurs gig (certainly reaked at the time of trying to throw it back in the chavs face) but if he had joined Spurs from Porto I imagine he'd have had a longer rope than he was afforded.
The press stayed on his back after his exit from Chelsea and so every misstep/struggle at Spurs was magnified. Probably didn't help buy-in from the squad at the time, either, with the media constantly reminding everyone of how much of a failure he'd been recently.
The football was boring, but I think it wasn't his end game - he just never got to continue his evolution. Much, much happier now with Poch so that's life, but I do respect AVB and wish him all the best. Just feel it could have been so much different had he stayed at Porto and then found a different "big" job than with those poisonous cunts. At least he's made a shedload of cash for his travails.
what a lucky guy